exact

English

Etymology

From Latin exāctus (the verb via Middle English exact), perfect passive participle of exigō (“demand, claim as due; measure by a standard, weigh, test”), from ex (“out”) + agō (“drive”).

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɪɡˈzækt/

• Audio (US)

  (file)

• Rhymes: -ækt

Adjective

exact (comparative exacter or more exact, superlative exactest or most exact)

1. Precisely agreeing with a standard, a fact, or the truth; perfectly conforming; neither exceeding nor falling short in any respect.

   The clock keeps exact time.

   He paid the exact debt.

   an exact copy of a letter

   exact accounts

2. Habitually careful to agree with a standard, a rule, or a promise; accurate; methodical; punctual.

   a man exact in observing an appointment

   In my doings I was exact.

   • 1667, John Milton, “Book VIII”, in Paradise Lost. , London: [Samuel Simmons], , →OCLC; republished as Paradise Lost in Ten Books: , London: Basil Montagu Pickering , 1873, →OCLC:

     I see thou art exact of taste.

   • 1661, John Fell, The Life of the most learned, reverend and pious Dr. H. Hammond‎:

     During the whole time of his abode in the university he generally spent thirteen hours of the day in study; by which assiduity besides an exact dispatch of the whole course of philosophy, he read over in a manner all classic authors that are extant […]

3. Precisely or definitely conceived or stated; strict.
   • c. 1599–1602 (date written), William Shakespeare, “The Tragedie of Hamlet, Prince of Denmarke”, in Mr. William Shakespeares Comedies, Histories, & Tragedies  (First Folio), London: Isaac Iaggard, and Ed Blount, published 1623, →OCLC, :

     An exact command,
     Larded with many several sorts of reason.

4. (algebra, of a sequence of groups connected by homomorphisms) Such that the kernel of one homomorphism is the image of the preceding one.

Synonyms

• (precisely agreeing): perfect, true, correct, precise
• (precisely or definitely conceived or stated): strict
• spot on

Antonyms

• (antonym(s) of "precisely agreeing"): inexact, imprecise, approximate
• (antonym(s) of "precisely or definitely conceived or stated"): loose

Derived terms

Translations

Verb

exact (third-person singular simple present exacts, present participle exacting, simple past and past participle exacted)

1. (transitive, intransitive) To demand and enforce the payment or performance of, sometimes in a forcible or imperious way.

   to exact tribute, fees, or obedience from someone

   • 1611, The Holy Bible,  (King James Version), London: Robert Barker, , →OCLC, Luke 3:13:

     He said into them, Exact no more than that which is appointed you.

   • 2018, Edo Konrad, “Living in the constant shadow of settler violence”, in +972 Magazine:

     Their goal is retributive: to exact a price from Palestinian civilians (and in some cases left-wing Israeli Jews, Christians, and Israeli security forces) for actions Israeli authorities take against the settlers, usually building enforcement in illegally built settlements.

   • 2020 September 19, statement of Clarence Thomas on the death of Ruth Bader Ginsburg:

     She was a superb judge who gave her best and exacted the best from each of us, whether in agreement or disagreement.

   • 2020, Kristine Henriksen Garroway, John W. Martens, Children and Methods, page 139:

     […] a generic, strikingly universal, deity, “ha-elohim,” who tests, who exacts and extracts, and who is the object of fear […]

2. (transitive) To make desirable or necessary.
   • 1632, Philip Massinger, The Maid of Honour:

     My designs exact me in another place.

3. (transitive) To inflict; to forcibly obtain or produce.

   to exact revenge on someone

Usage notes

• Often used with the preposition from or on.

Derived terms

• exactable
• exacter
• exacting
• exaction
• exactor

Translations

Adverb

exact (comparative more exact, superlative most exact)

1. exactly

   She's wearing the exact same sweater as I am!

Synonyms

• (error-free manner): accurately, just, precisely; see also Thesaurus:exactly

Further reading

• “exact”, in Webster’s Revised Unabridged Dictionary, Springfield, Mass.: G. & C. Merriam, 1913, →OCLC.
• “exact”, in The Century Dictionary , New York, N.Y.: The Century Co., 1911, →OCLC.
• “exact”, in OneLook Dictionary Search.

Dutch

Etymology

Borrowed from French exact, from Middle French exact, from Latin exāctus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɛkˈsɑkt/

• Audio

  (file)

• Hyphenation: exact
• Rhymes: -ɑkt

Adjective

exact (comparative exacter, superlative exactst)

1. exact, precise

Inflection

Derived terms

• exactheid

Descendants

• Afrikaans: eksak

French

Etymology

From Latin exāctus.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /ɛɡ.zakt/, (old-fashioned) /ɛɡ.za/

• Audio

  (file)

Adjective

exact (feminine exacte, masculine plural exacts, feminine plural exactes)

1. exact; precise

Derived terms

• exactement
• science exacte

Further reading

• “exact”, in Trésor de la langue française informatisé , 2012.

Romanian

Etymology

Borrowed from French exact.

Pronunciation

• IPA^(key): /eɡˈzakt/

• Audio

  (file)

Adjective

exact m or n (feminine singular exactă, masculine plural exacți, feminine and neuter plural exacte)

1. exact, precise

Declension

Adverb

exact

1. exactly, precisely

See also

• precis